As one of the most influential women in news, it’s part of Katie Couric’s job to stay up to date on breaking stories. But on a recent episode of her self-titled podcast, the former NBC anchor explained that her relationship with her smartphone has turned unhealthy.
“I’ve got issues,” Couric said. “Like most people I know, I sometimes get panic-stricken looking for my phone—when I’m on my phone… I am on it way too much and I think it’s disruptive to relationships and to your mental health.”
Talking with Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University whose recent piece for The Atlantic, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”, was widely shared and discussed, Couric opened up about her struggles with her mobile device and how she tries to keep it from affecting her relationships.
“I try to intentionally leave my phone at home if I’m going out on a walk with my husband or if we’re going someplace so I’m not tempted to go on it…I try to resist the temptation by making sure there’s nothing there to tempt me,” Couric said.
While Couric is actively trying to change her own ways, she’s also making sure that those around her do, too. In light of the upcoming Labor Day holiday, the journalist shared her surprise plans to help her teenage daughters unplug, according to a Fast Company piece about the episode. “I just got a little tin container that says, ‘cell phones’ on it,” Couric told her listeners. “I think I’m really going to try to do a digital detox with them at least for part of the time.”
In today’s hyper-connected world, it’s virtually impossible to live your life unplugged. But Couric’s honesty about how her smartphone affects her life, and what she’s doing to find balance, can serve as a reminder that it’s best to disconnect every now and then.
Listen to the full episode of Couric’s podcast here. And to learn more about how Couric takes care of herself, read her piece for Thrive Global on turning 60 years old here.